Factors associated with the use of herbal medicines for oral problems by patients attending the clinics of the School of Dentistry, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil

Paula, Janice Simpson de; Resende, Alexandre Marques de; Mialhe, Fábio Luiz

Abstract

AIM: To evaluate differences in sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, educational level and income) between users and nonusers of phytotherapy for dental purposes; the degree of population's knowledge of herbal medicines for dental needs; and whether patients inform the health professional about their use of phytotherapy. METHODS: A questionnaire was applied to 100 patients in waiting rooms of the School of Dentistry of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, in 2008, to inquire about sociodemographic variables and other factors associated with the use of phytotherapy. Statistical analyses were carried out using the chi square statistical test to calculate association between the variables, with 0.05 as level of significance. RESULTS: It was observed that 64.8% of participants were women with a mean age of 43.9±15.1 years. Phytotheraphy use for treatment of oral problems was reported by 37% of patients interviewed in this study. Significant differences were found between users and non-users of herbal medicines for oral problems, associated with the patient's age (p<0.05) and previous experience with use of phytotherapy to treat general health problems (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the need for more scientific evidence of the efficacy of herbal medicinal products already incorporated in the popular knowledge to treat oral problems in order to make it an accessible and alternative method for prevention and therapy in dentistry.

medicinal plants; dentistry; public health

References

¹ Groppo FC, Bergamaschi CC, Kogo K, Franz-Montan M, Motta RHL, Andrade ED. Use of Phytotherapy in Dentistry. Phytother Res. 2008; 22: 993-8.
² Rosa C, Câmara SG, Béria JU. Representations and use intention of phytotherapy in primary health care. Cienc Saude Col. 2011; 16: 311-8.
³ Ministry of Health (Brasil). Decreto n.º 5.813, de 22 de junho de 2006. Aprova a Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos e dá outras providências. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, jun. 2006 [in Portuguese]
⁴ Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, Rompay MV. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990 - 1997: results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA. 1998; 280:1569-75.
⁵ Druss BG, Rosenheck RA. Association between use of unconventional therapies and conventional medical services. JAMA. 1998; 282: 651-6.
⁶ Ministry of Health (Brasil). PNPIC: Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares no SUS - Atitude de Ampliação de Acesso. Ministério da Saúde. Brasil, 2006 [in Portuguese]
⁷ Ramakrishna Y, Goda H, Baliga MS, Munshi AK. Decreasing cariogenic bacteria with a natural, alternative prevention therapy utilizing phytochemistry (plant extracts). J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2011; 36: 55-63.
⁸ Pieri FA, Mussi MCM, Fiorini JE, Moreira MAS, Schneedorf JM. Bacteriostatic effect of copaiba oil (Copaifera officinalis) against Streptococcus mutans. Braz. Dent. J. 2012; 23: 36-8.
⁹ Oliveira FQ, Gobira B, Guimarães C, Batista J, Barreto M, Souza M. Plant species indicated in odontology. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2007; 17: 466-76.
¹⁰ Singh J, Kumar A, Budhiraja S, Hooda A. Ethnomedicine: use in dental caries. Braz J Oral Sci. 2007; 6: 1308-12.
¹¹ Abdulwahab I. Al-Kholani. Comparison between the Efficacy of Herbal and Conventional Dentifrices on Established Gingivitis. Dent Res. 2011; 8: 57-63.
¹² Tomazzoni MI, Negrelle RRB, Centa ML. Fitoterapia popular: a busca instrumental enquanto prática terapêuta. Texto Contexto Enferm. 2006; 15: 115-21.
¹³ Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Available from: http:www.ibge.gov.br
» link
¹⁴ Tam KK, Gadbury-Amyot CC, Cobb CM, Williams KB. Differences between herbal and nonherbal users in dental practice. J Dent Hyg. 2006; 80: 1-10.
¹⁵ Elder NC, Gillcrist A, Minz R. Use of alternative health care by family practice patients. Arch Fam Med. 1997; 6: 181-4.
¹⁶ Hasan SS, Ahmed SI, Bukhari NI, Loon WC. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with chronic diseases at outpatient clinics. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2009; 15: 152-7.
¹⁷ Santos EB, Dantas GS, Santos HB, Diniz MFFM, Sampaio FC. Ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants for oral conditions in the municipality of João Pessoa, Brazil. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2009; 19: 321-4.
¹⁸ Clay PG, Clauson KA, Glaros A. Complementary and Alternative Medicine use by patients visiting a free health clinic: a single-site, pilot study. Cur Ther Res. 2004; 65: 481-94.
¹⁹ Viegas Jr, VF. Study of the medicinal plants consumption in the Middle-North Region of the Rio de Janeiro State: acceptance by health professionals and mode of use by the population. Braz J Pharmacogn; 2008; 18: 308-13.
²⁰ Spector ML, Fischer M, Dawson DV, Holmes DC, Kummet C, Nisly NL et al. Complementary and alternative medicine usage by patients of a dental school clinic. Spec Care Dentist. 2012; 32: 177-83.
²¹ Little JW. Complementary and alternative medicine: Impact on dentistry. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2001; 98: 137-45.
²² Genovés JS. Larrea VP, Gomis ER, Martínez-Mir I. Consumo de hierbas medicinales y medicamentos. Atenc Prim. 2001; 28: 311-4.
²³ Santos RL, Guimarães GP, Nobre MSC, Portela AS. Analysis about phytotherapy as an integrating practice in the Brazilian Unified Health System (UHS). Rev Bras Plantas Med. 2011; 13: 486-91.
²⁴ Begnami AF, Mialhe FL. Survey of medicinal plants and their application in the municipal district of Piracicaba-SP. Rev Uning. 2008; 18: 49-62.
²⁵ Palombo EA. Traditional medicinal plant extracts and natural products with activity against oral bacteria: potential application in the prevention and treatment of oral diseases. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009; 10: 1-15.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
04 June 2013
Date of issue
Dec 2012

History

Received
16 July 2012
Accepted
18 Oct 2012

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

[1] ¹ Groppo FC, Bergamaschi CC, Kogo K, Franz-Montan M, Motta RHL, Andrade ED. Use of Phytotherapy in Dentistry. Phytother Res. 2008; 22: 993-8.

[2] ² Rosa C, Câmara SG, Béria JU. Representations and use intention of phytotherapy in primary health care. Cienc Saude Col. 2011; 16: 311-8.

[3] ³ Ministry of Health (Brasil). Decreto n.º 5.813, de 22 de junho de 2006. Aprova a Política Nacional de Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterápicos e dá outras providências. Diário Oficial da União, Brasília, jun. 2006 [in Portuguese]

[4] ⁴ Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, Rompay MV. Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States, 1990 - 1997: results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA. 1998; 280:1569-75.

[5] ⁵ Druss BG, Rosenheck RA. Association between use of unconventional therapies and conventional medical services. JAMA. 1998; 282: 651-6.

[6] ⁶ Ministry of Health (Brasil). PNPIC: Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares no SUS - Atitude de Ampliação de Acesso. Ministério da Saúde. Brasil, 2006 [in Portuguese]

[7] ⁷ Ramakrishna Y, Goda H, Baliga MS, Munshi AK. Decreasing cariogenic bacteria with a natural, alternative prevention therapy utilizing phytochemistry (plant extracts). J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2011; 36: 55-63.

[8] ⁸ Pieri FA, Mussi MCM, Fiorini JE, Moreira MAS, Schneedorf JM. Bacteriostatic effect of copaiba oil (Copaifera officinalis) against Streptococcus mutans. Braz. Dent. J. 2012; 23: 36-8.

[9] ⁹ Oliveira FQ, Gobira B, Guimarães C, Batista J, Barreto M, Souza M. Plant species indicated in odontology. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2007; 17: 466-76.

[10] ¹⁰ Singh J, Kumar A, Budhiraja S, Hooda A. Ethnomedicine: use in dental caries. Braz J Oral Sci. 2007; 6: 1308-12.

[11] ¹¹ Abdulwahab I. Al-Kholani. Comparison between the Efficacy of Herbal and Conventional Dentifrices on Established Gingivitis. Dent Res. 2011; 8: 57-63.

[12] ¹² Tomazzoni MI, Negrelle RRB, Centa ML. Fitoterapia popular: a busca instrumental enquanto prática terapêuta. Texto Contexto Enferm. 2006; 15: 115-21.

[13] ¹³ Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Available from: http:www.ibge.gov.br
» link

[14] ¹⁴ Tam KK, Gadbury-Amyot CC, Cobb CM, Williams KB. Differences between herbal and nonherbal users in dental practice. J Dent Hyg. 2006; 80: 1-10.

[15] ¹⁵ Elder NC, Gillcrist A, Minz R. Use of alternative health care by family practice patients. Arch Fam Med. 1997; 6: 181-4.

[16] ¹⁶ Hasan SS, Ahmed SI, Bukhari NI, Loon WC. Use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with chronic diseases at outpatient clinics. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2009; 15: 152-7.

[17] ¹⁷ Santos EB, Dantas GS, Santos HB, Diniz MFFM, Sampaio FC. Ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants for oral conditions in the municipality of João Pessoa, Brazil. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2009; 19: 321-4.

[18] ¹⁸ Clay PG, Clauson KA, Glaros A. Complementary and Alternative Medicine use by patients visiting a free health clinic: a single-site, pilot study. Cur Ther Res. 2004; 65: 481-94.

[19] ¹⁹ Viegas Jr, VF. Study of the medicinal plants consumption in the Middle-North Region of the Rio de Janeiro State: acceptance by health professionals and mode of use by the population. Braz J Pharmacogn; 2008; 18: 308-13.

[20] ²⁰ Spector ML, Fischer M, Dawson DV, Holmes DC, Kummet C, Nisly NL et al. Complementary and alternative medicine usage by patients of a dental school clinic. Spec Care Dentist. 2012; 32: 177-83.

[21] ²¹ Little JW. Complementary and alternative medicine: Impact on dentistry. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2001; 98: 137-45.

[22] ²² Genovés JS. Larrea VP, Gomis ER, Martínez-Mir I. Consumo de hierbas medicinales y medicamentos. Atenc Prim. 2001; 28: 311-4.

[23] ²³ Santos RL, Guimarães GP, Nobre MSC, Portela AS. Analysis about phytotherapy as an integrating practice in the Brazilian Unified Health System (UHS). Rev Bras Plantas Med. 2011; 13: 486-91.

[24] ²⁴ Begnami AF, Mialhe FL. Survey of medicinal plants and their application in the municipal district of Piracicaba-SP. Rev Uning. 2008; 18: 49-62.

[25] ²⁵ Palombo EA. Traditional medicinal plant extracts and natural products with activity against oral bacteria: potential application in the prevention and treatment of oral diseases. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2009; 10: 1-15.